Cupra Leon
Over the past few years, we’ve had to bid farewell to models like the Subaru BRZ, Toyota GR86, Honda Civic Type R, Porsche Boxster/Cayman, and the Miata’s 2.0-liter engine. Still, looking on the bright side, there are a few mainstream performance cars hanging on, even if most of them hail from the Volkswagen Group.
Take Cupra, for example. The SEAT-derived performance brand is preparing to launch the most potent front-wheel-drive Leon ever. Although this compact hatchback has been around since 1999, it has never before sent so much power solely to the front wheels.
Essentially Cupra’s answer to the VW Golf GTI Edition 50, the Leon VZ TCR delivers a whopping 321 horsepower in a front-driven hot hatch package. Mirroring its Wolfsburg relative, it uses a turbocharged 2.0-liter gas engine churning out 310 lb-ft (420 Nm) of torque.
As the name suggests, this limited-edition model draws inspiration from the TCR race car. Recognizing its position in the VW Group hierarchy, Cupra has made the Leon VZ TCR just a tenth of a second slower to 62 mph (100 km/h) than the most extreme Golf GTI.
It accomplishes the sprint in 5.6 seconds, and although Cupra hasn’t disclosed its top speed, the Volkswagen equivalent is electronically capped at 168 mph (270 km/h).
Compared to the standard Cupra Leon, the VZ TCR upgrades to wider tires, a front strut brace, reduced-weight exclusive wheels, and Akebono brakes with six-piston calipers.
The quad copper-tipped exhaust is said to produce a “visceral” sound. However, there’s a notable caveat: the absence of a manual transmission. Just like the Golf GTI and its sibling, the Skoda Octavia RS, this hot hatch is offered solely with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.
With no photos of the interior released, we have to trust Cupra’s claim that the rear seats can be removed for weight savings. The rear doors remain, much like what we saw on the Toyota GR Corolla Morizo, or, for sedan fans, the Jaguar XE SV Project 8. The front features bucket seats with four-point harnesses, and a laser-etched serial number on the door panel underscores the car’s limited status. Only 499 examples will be produced.
Each unit will sport a more aggressive body kit that includes revamped front and rear splitters and a new roof spoiler. Cupra has also added a revised rear diffuser, carbon-fiber side mirror caps, and other aerodynamic enhancements. For those who find this too much, Cupra has a milder Leon VZ option limited to 1,500 units, also equipped with the upgraded engine.
Pricing details haven’t been revealed. However, the Volkswagen Golf GTI Edition 50 starts at €54,540 in Germany, which translates to nearly $64,000. It’s worth noting that this figure includes Germany’s 19 percent VAT (value-added tax), so the comparison isn’t entirely apples-to-apples.
Cupra plans to roll out the Leon VZ in the first quarter of 2026, with the higher-performance VZ TCR following later that year. The VW Group had previously set goals to introduce the Cupra brand to the United States by 2030, but that timeline has now shifted to sometime after the decade ends. The focus remains on SUVs and crossovers, which means the Leon hatchback or wagon is unlikely to reach American dealerships.
Meanwhile, Cupra has secured rights to use Audi’s celebrated inline-five engine in the Formentor VZ5, where it generates 385 horsepower and 354 lb-ft (480 Nm) of torque.
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